


tbc

by missmayhem



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-14
Updated: 2013-11-17
Packaged: 2017-12-26 06:08:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/962510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missmayhem/pseuds/missmayhem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm can't find a name for this fic so I'm open to suggestion. Also any comments, tips, hint or general feedback is welcome.<br/>Thanks.</p>
        </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Darcy lay in the med bay of stark tower feeling a little sorry for herself, she had walked into the lab with Tony's coffee and Bruces' tea only to hear Tony swear and run to her, pushing her back, the sound of something ripping. and then something big and green knocked them both off their feet as something else exploded. She felt the shock wave and the heat. She held on tight, her eyes closed. Alarms blurred and lights flickered over head. There was a strange tang in the air. 

Tony had thrown himself at her, he was laid half on and half off. The hulk had crouched over them both, protecting them.

"Heeeyy, big guy." Tony said.  
"Metal man and pretty hurt? Big green asked.  
"We're good? You're heavy, let us up."  
The Hulk back off and Tony got up and helped Darcy up. 

He let go off her only for her legs to give out.  
"Whoa, here," Tony put her arm around his shoulders and helped her out to the corridor. Hulk hovered behind Tony looking worried.  
She managed a smile for him. "I'm ok." She tried to say. But it came out slurred and incoherent. Her head pounded and she fought the need to throw up. She heard footsteps and her vision began to dim.  
"I'm gonna sit" she tried again and didn't wait to see if anyone understood. She slumped down the wall that was currently propping her up.

She became aware she was laying in a bed and an IV in her hand. She opened her eyes a little, testing them. Pain sliced through her head and she closed then quickly. She tried again, slowly. She became aware of a conversation just out side her door, she listened, closing her eyes again. 

Steve, Tony and Bruce just outside. She knew it was Steve because he was giving Bruce a dressing down. Telling him he was too rough and that letting the hulk out in close quarters was dangerous and the she shouldn't even be allowed in the lab as she was totally unqualified. 

She knew Tony was there too because as the muffled sounds of foot step walking away, Bruce, she guessed, she heard Tony's voice, full of anger

"Nice going Cap. He's probably packing as we speak. Do you have any idea how long it took me to get to stay?  
When she walked in he hulked out and protected us with out causing any damage. I'd say he's got control."

"Then why is Miss Lewis in the med bay, with a concussion."  
"Better then a morgue, which is where we both would been. You antiquated ass." The exasperation, very evident in is voice.  
There was silence and then the door opened.  
Darcy fought to keep her breathing steady pretending to sleep. 

"You could have died today." Steves' voice was soft. Softer than she had ever heard him. She stayed motionless.  
"You don't belong here."the statement resounded around the room.  
The door closed and Darcy heard him walk away.  
It was only then did she feel the tears slide down her face.  
Cap had a way of pointing out her biggest fears almost everytime they met.

Usually they were implied, and she was sure he didn't mean it in a bad way.

Jane had introduced her to Steve, he had asked what she was a doctor of, she explained that she wasn't a doctor and that she hadn't been able to finished college due to the classified nature of her last 6 credits.

She had no idea why she was explaining anything to him.

It's not like Darcy didn't want to finish school but right now it was just, so not convenient, and expensive. He kept on saying how important an education was and how he wished he'd gotten the chance to go to college, but going to war and defending his country seemed more important.  


Jerk!  
Or the time they had crossed paths, he was coming from the gym, still in his work clothes. He asked how her own training was going. She wasn't training, didn't really want to. Something flashed in his eyes, just for a moment before he started lecturing her about everyone needs to know how to defend themself. And she can't just expect them (him) to come running when there's an attack.  
Ego, much!

Or the time when Tony had taken her out for lunch to cheer her up. They had been riding the elevator back, both a little tipsy, and giggling when Steve found them. She ignored the clench of his jaw or the way he stiffened when he saw Tony's hand on the small of her back as he guided her to the living area. She little more tipsy then he.

They next day he found her nursing a coffee, only slightly hung over.

He started going on about what a great couple Tony and Pepper were, how she (Darcy) was a passing distraction until Pepper came back later that day and its not nice to flirt with someone else 's man, And being drunk in the middle of the day was unladylike. She had lifted her head at that point. And giving what she was sure to be a disbelieving look. She stood up and walked away from him not even willing to dignify his lecture with a response.  
Asshole.  


He never came out and said what he thought but Darcy felt the weight out his stare when she joined the 'family' meal.  
But today he had said it,.  
She didn't belong.

She knew it too. Like she was on borrowed times here. She wasn't smart enough, strong enough. She had worked hard to make herself useful, being the coffee girl, the paper work girl, the one to tidy up, or to remind them it was time to eat or sleep, but some days she wondered if they put up with her for Jane. She was just the add on, the pet they indulged from time to time.

And having Steve/Captain America/her childhood hero echo her own fears was painful. Darcy allowed herself to cry a little more.

He was right she didn't belong here.


	2. Chapter 2

It was late and she was tired. Her shift finished 4 hours ago but Lou had asked her to stay. She drank the last of her OJ and stood, her feet tingled and burned, not used to being on them for eight hours. She heard someone enter the kitchen and she closed her coat over her uniform, hiding it from view.  


She turned to see Steve stood in the doorway. She could feel her stomach churn just waiting for the next verbal onslught.  


"Miss Lewis" he tone was low.  
She nodded and walked past him she really couldn't handle him tonight.  
You-  
"Look Cap." She cut him off. "Not tonight. I really don't have the energy to get into this tonight."  
"I jus-" she couldn't let him finish, she wasn't strong enough to hear that she a liability or a distraction again, the first dozen or so times had knocked her confidence too much.  
"You know, my gammy knew you. She was there when you rescued all those men"  
Steve felt the blood drain from his face 'no!' He thought 'it couldn't be.'  
Darcy carried on, all the things she wanted to say to him when they first met came spewing out but his conduct soured every word, turned compliment to insult.  
"She used to tell me you were a gentleman, a good man, It seemed more important to her than you being a hero." 

She felt a little braver and carried on.

Her voice softer, remembering. Her mouth curved into a small smile until she remembered who she was talking to and why.  


"She used to tell me. It didn't matter who you were or what you looked like or what other people thought. It's what you did, what you do that really matters. She'd tell me that the hero of WW2 wasn't the strong man or the big man, he wasn't a bully or a thug, he didn't want to hurt and kill, he was just a man, a good man who didn't like bullies, w-who wanted to do the right thing."  
Steve stayed silent.

"I grew up on stories of Captain America, and when I was scared or hurt or upset and lonely she tell me about you." 

She bowed her head fighting, the overwhelming loss threatening to drag her under even after all these years. 

Tears slipped down her face.  


"You know what?" She shook her head and met his gaze,for once he was struggling to met hers. "you're not him. You are not MY Captain America."  
She turned and walked away.  
"Wait" his voice pleading, almost begging. "Her name? What was her name?"  
Darcy paused Steve knew already and for a moment she considered not saying it out loud. 

"Margaret, though when she was younger she was known as Peggy." Darcy turned and left.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony was clearing the lab, again.

It had been a minor explosion. All smoke and no heat. It had got in to the vents and the sprinkler had doused everything. Dum-E had then doused him with the fire extinguisher.  
Tony sighed. This had been the fifth this month.  
Tony lifted his head thoughtfully.

"Javis? Where Darcy?"

"I am unable to find Miss Lewis." 

"Since when?" 

"It appears her visits to the tower have grown more infequant of late." 

"What? She lives here, doesn't she?"

"Miss Lewis moved out 19 days ago. Sir."

"Why?"

"I believe her new apartment was closer to her place of work."

"She works here."

"I have no record of Miss Lewis employed here."

"But she..., with coffee and the mothering she's the New Pepper, right? Pull up her contract."

"I have no record of Miss Lewis working for Stark Industries." 

"What about SHIELD? Does she have a contract there?"

Javis was silent, for a moment.

"Sir, there is a side note in Dr Fosters contract that includes Miss Lewis.  


It appears one of the conditions of Dr Foster employment with SHIELD was Miss Lewis acompany her. It appears Dr Foster insisted on it."

Tony sat down.

"Huh?"

"sir, there is an unsigned contract on record, it is dated the day Miss Lewis left, authorised by Miss Potts."

"Phone Pepper,"

The phone rang pepper answered.  


"Tony?"  


"Were you going to tell me about darcy?"  


"Well its about time. I wondered when you were going to notice. Its been almost three weeks. I was going to tell you this weekend if you hadn't figured it out."  
"Pepper?"  
"I offered her my old job, with bells and whistles, she turned it down. I don't know what you did, but fix it, because as soon as Jane comes back from Asgard and realises Darcy isn't here, she'll walk and Thor with her.

"Why is this my fault?" Tony groused.

"She said something about being replaced by a machine."

Tony looked over at the new coffee machine in the corner of the office and felt a little guilty

Pepper went quiet.  


Pep?  


Pepper sounded upset. "Tony we messed up, in so many ways."  


"What do you mean?"

She sighed.  


"Before she left you came to bed before midnight, you rarely stayed up all night and you've been more productive. I'll tell you somethings else the cleaners have been called out a total of a dozen times in the last quarter but there was a 2 month period where we didn't need them. When Darcy started working for us."  


Tony was quiet.  


"Tony there's more but I think we should meet and talk."  


"Tell me." Tony demanded. Pepper sighed.  


"Alright. You'd better sit down. I did a background check. She's up to her eyesballs in debt, so I looked deeper. She gradtuted a year early from high school with a scholarship for MIT, our scholarship. She dropped out a year later. At 21 she went back and studied poli sci at a state college. I had someone look into what she was doing for those three years. She worked in unskilled Jobs and made regular payments to a nursing home where a one Margaret Carter, lived until she died. Two weeks later darcy went back to college."  


"I know that name." Tony injects "why do I know that name."  


"Because Agent Margaret 'Peggy' Carter was one of the lead agents on project rebirth. Where she worked with your dad."  


"What are you saying."  


"I think we might have to entertain the possibility that you had an older sister and that Darcy could be your niece."

Tony sat down.  


They had the same colour hair. Same snarky sense of humour, same 'suffer no fools' attitude.  


"Tony?" Peppers voice came over the phone. "you still there?"

Tony was silent. So Pepper carried on.

"When I spoke to Fury about her grandmother he seemed surprised. Shield employees have to do a full blood work, it should have brought up an alert. Someone tried very hard to keep this information away from us.I have a feeling someone head will roll."

"Tony? You still there? You ok?" Peppers voice a little panicked.  


"I'm good. I'll talk to you later."

Pepper hung up the phone, and Tony just sat staring at nothing.  


"Javis?"  


"Yes sir?"  


"Find Darcys address."  


"Yes sir."


	4. Chapter 4

Darcy's feet hated her, it was official. She had moved out three weeks ago. She now lived in a three story walk up complete with cliche creepy flickering lights.

The landlord was decent enough but the superintendent had looked suggestively. Darcy had promptly fitted an extra lock to the door..

The last flight of stairs always killed he feet, she was thinking about a hot bath as she opened her door and found Tony sitting on her bed/couch, the only place in the room to sit. She turn turned and closed the door not bothering the lock it, it seemed pointless now.

When she turned back he hadn't moved, he just stared at her, taking in the uniform.

"Why are you here?" She asked, man, even her voice sounded tired.

"I could ask you the same thing? Why did you move out?"  
Darcy crossed her arms.

"I wasn't wanted, wasn't welcome."

"Who said that?"

"No one said anything, it was implied by more than a few."  
Darcy saw his fist curl, 

"Who?"

"Steve, Bruce and you."

"I never-"

She interrupted him. The sooner they had this conversation the sooner he would be gone. "You replaced me with a coffee machine. Tony."

"I didn't-"

She interrupted him again not wanting to listen "For the last three months all I've done it brought you coffee and cook and you went and bought a coffee machine."

"That doesn't mean-"

She carried on. "Bruce can barely look at me since the explosion, and leaves when ever I walking to the room, refuses to come to family dinners. I don't want him to leave."

"We had one last night, he was there." Tony protested

Darcy just tilted her head, her eye brows raised slightly. He had just proved her point.

Tony nodded, understanding.

"And Steve?" He asked.

Darcy shrugged, hoping Tony would leaving it at that.  
Of course he didn't.

"And Steve?" He said more forcefully.

Darcy blew out a breath at a strand of hair that had escaped for her braid."He's made it no secret he thinks I'm uneducated, untrained, unladylike and a distraction, he even accused me of trying to steal you away from Pepper. She checked them off her fingers as she spat out the all too familar list. "The explosion just proved his point, I don't belong at the tower, and yeah that, he actually said."  
She took her coat off turning her back to Tony once again, it gave her time to control the hurt that welled up. She slowly slipped her shoes off and put them away as she carried on.  
"Besides S.H.I.E..L.D. made it very clear that as soon as Thor returned I wasn't needed, They had more suitable people for the role of Janes intern. Since they rail roaded my degree I need to save up to finish college hence the new digs and a PAYING job."

She gestured to the room and her uniform.

"Damn it Darcy." Tony stood angrily. "Why didn't you say something."

Darcy blinked at Tony's anger and felt confused. "I thought you knew, or didn't care. She cocked her head to the side. "Why would you?"

"Darcy....?!" He was hurt and angry, how could she think so little of him?

Tony stopped shoved his hands in his pockets. 

How had he been so careless?

He took a deep breath.

"Darcy," his tone gentler. "Come and work for me, please."

"No", Darcy's answer was immediate.

"Why not?"

"I won't accepted a job offered out of pity or obligation. I earn what I have." Darcy felt her own temper rise, Tony started to protest.  


She silenced him with her hand.  


"You don't need me." She said with finality. "I wasn't wanted and I refuse to be a burden or a distraction." Darcy came back to original point.

Tony sighed. "There's really nothing I can say, is there."

Darcy stood, unmoved.

Tony sighed again weary she looked over her again.

"Ok." He sounded like he was giving up. "But I want you to think about this. You lived with and worked for us for three months, and we had one explosion and Bruce hulked out once. Since you've been gone there have been seven explosions all due to miscalculation and mistakes and Bruce has hulked out three times. It's what made me realise you weren't there. I missed you." 

Darcy felt her eyes prickle at Tony's confession. She looked away from him. 

"I want to hire you as co-ordinator of the research and development team. Someone to help us work together, to be the mediator. I want someone who will care about us scientists, not the science."  


When darcy didn't say anything he moved closer.

"You care, you made us eat and sleep, helped us see what's important and keep us laughing when everything goes wrong."

He stepped closer.

"I am so sorry I ever made you feel unwelcome or unwanted. The coffee machine was to make your job easier, not to replace you. You can not be replaced"

she felt tears well up in her eyes but refused to let them fall. 

He kissed her forehead and Darcy remain still. He left and closed the door behind him.

She heard the door closes as she dissolved into tears. She missed him too, so much. For the first time since she moved out she cried. She drag herself to bed and burrowed under the covers and cried herself to sleep. 

when she got home the next day a contract was sat on her kitchen table.

It offered 4 months back pay, her student loans paid for, a timetable for her to finish her degree long distant, the one at MIT, fully paid for and a generous starting bonus.

Darcy sat with her head in her hands, the obvious choice was to let go, forgive and take the job. She wanted it, had enjoyed it for the most part. 

But she thought about Bruce. The tower was his home, and him moving out would mean him moving away, to parts unknown, alone. And as much as she wanted the job she couldn't bare the thought of taking it, if Bruce would be uncomfortable.

A voice in her head. Told her it wasn't her problem but she had got to know him before the explosion, liked him he needed people, Tony needed him.

And then there was Steve.

Darcy closed her eyes for a moment, shoved the contract away and left it laying on the table as she went to bed and tried to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm can't find a name for this fic so I'm open to suggestion. Also any comments, tips, hint or general feedback is welcome.  
> Thanks.


	5. Chapter 5

The contract was unmoved on her kitchen table, a great big giant elephant, just waiting for her everytime she came home. She had almost decided to not take the job. 

Tony hadn't mentioned it again but sent her the occasional text telling her about team activitites, family meal one night, movie night the next, complaining about no one getting pop culture references. They made her smile, warming her up, the warmth settled in her heart and a wave of nostalgia engulfed her and before it could settle she shook it off. 

Darcy carried on, went to work, came home to her empty flat, slept, woke up and went to work.

The days blurred together, until there was a knock one night. She looked through the peep hole to see Tony and Steve.  
She opened it slowly.  
"Hey lil'D." Tony said his arms wide open as if expecting a hug.  
Darcy just stared, a small amused smile across her face.

Her heart yearned to step into his arms, it had been a long time since someone offered her a hug but she didn't move, couldn't move.

After a moment Tony dropped his arms,  
"What? No love? Wow, tough crowd."

"What to do you want Tony?"

He shoved his hands in his pockets. Ruining the lines of his expensive suit,  
"It's been a week. you don't call or email or text. I was begining to worry."

He looked smug, like it was a joke. Darcy squished the yearning down, she needed to distance herself before it got worse.

"Well, why don't you call me in three weeks."

Tony looked hurt, Steve just blushed.

Darcy felt like a bitch but it was for the best.

"No actully its good your here, wait a moment." 

She closed the door and grabbed the contract, breathed deeply to steady herself and open the the door again.

She handed it back it was   
"You can have this back, it doesn't belong here."

She paused enough to see Steve flinch and closed the door locking it behind her

She stumbled to her bed and covered her month to silence the sob rising up, knowing Steve would hear it.


	6. Chapter 6

The next day she was tired and her eyes were sore, the extra make up needed to cover the puffiness, from crying herself to sleep, wasn't helping. It was mid morning, the diner was busy and she really didn't have time to think beyond her next customer.

She heard the distance screams without really registering them until they were closer. Everyone rushed to the windows to see, murmurs of the 'avengers' and 'hulk' reached through the tired haze.

She rushed to the window and saw the hulk.

"Alright, everyone to the back she yelled. Stay down and back and don't scream."

One cocky boy piped up."Why not?"

"He doesn't like it" she yelled over her shoulders as she existed the diner.

The hulk was looking around, confused.

"Hey big guy, what you doing." She caught his attention

Hulk turned.

"Darcy?" His voice boomed.

"Hi." She replied with a wave like is not the most ridiculous thing ever.

Hulk sat down heavily it made the ground tremor.

"Darcy gone." He pouted

"I'm here."

The hulk shook his head.

"Bruce mad at hulk. Hulk made darcy leave."

"What? No Hulk. Not your fault."

"Darcy hurt. Hulk hurt darcy." He said miserablely

"No! you saved me. I would have died if you hadn't saved me."

"Blue man said darcy hurt cos of me. Hulk bad and darcy wrong."

she could see Bruces' sad eyes staring out of the hulk. It was full of sadness, guilt and loneliness, everthing else melted away. Darcy cared. She always had. She had fallen in love with the rag tag bunch. Her eyes prickled and ever so slowly she gave the hulk a hug. He was warm and big. One hand gentley drew her in until she was nestled against his chest. She relished the feeling as his heat seemed permeate her skin, warming her soul. She had forgotten how wondeful a simple hug could be. All her fears melted with the heat.

 

She drew back a little, just enough to look at hulk. She cupped his big face and made him look down at her.

"You saved my life. Steve is wrong." She said steadily

"Darcy hurt. Blue man-"

"Is wrong." she finished.

 

hulk seemed to think for a moment.

"Darcy hulk's friend?" She could hear the question in that statement.

"Yes."

"Darcy and Bruce friends."

"Yes. Did Bruce feel bad?"

Hulk nodded.

"Darcy come home." His request seemed to vibrate in her chest.

"I don't know, big guy I don't think Bruce wants me there."  
The hulk cocked his head to the side.

"Bruce miss darcy. Bruce scared darcy hate Bruce"

"No never. Bruce is my friend."

"Darcy not scared of Bruce."

"No."

"Darcy scared of hulk."

Darcy wanted to deny it but couldn't.  
"Sometimes, a little. You are very big and I'm small. But I trust you'll never hurt me."

"Darcy friend." Hulk said it like is was the most simple and natural thing in the world.

"Darcy friend and Darcy come home." Hulk repeated sounding very pleased with himself.

Darcy smiled at his conclusion. It was almost simple.  
It wasn't long before she heard the familiar sound of the Ironman suit.

Ironman arrived closely followed by Captain America and Hawkeye.

Hulk growled when he saw Steve, trying to draw Darcy in closer, as thought he was afraid Steve was going to try and take her away.

She squeaked when he hugged her a bit to hard and he let her go.

'"I need to speak to Cap for a moment. I'll be right back. I promise."

Hawkeye looked relieved when she walked away from the hulk, he un-notched the tranqarrow.

But she paid them no heed other than "stay with him."

She grabbed Steve's shield (with Steve firmly attached) and with a 'follow me' motion she lead them further away.

"Did you tell Bruce that I was injuried because of the hulk?"

Steve looked sheepish.

"Well. Answer me." She commanded.

Her tone made him snap to attention almost like a reflex.

"Yes ma'am."

Darcy drew in a deep breath.

"You need to go over there and explain too the Hulk that he saved my life."

Steve nodded and started to move away.

"Captain", she called her voice still level, it made Steve snap to attention once more.

"You ever make Bruce feel bad again. And I'll let S.H.I.E.L.D. know you're willing to be there dancing monkey. Do I make myself clear?"

The message was clear. Darcy was done playing nice and she could hit him where it was cause the most problems. he would have to earn anything and everything.

"Yes ma'am." He couldn't help but smirk at the clever threat. No one else would get the reference but him.

And with a nod Steve went over to the Hulk. She watched as Steve rubbed the back of his neck, scuffed the ground with the toe of his boot as he tried to apologise to the hulk and she tried her best not to smirk.

Ironman walked over to her, she had some apologizing to do herself.

He stood next to her. "You know that's not something you see everyday." He said as they both looked at Steve.

"Captain America saying sorry to the hulk. That's one for the books."

"I meant Captain America cowering in front of a civilian women over a foot shorter." He flipped the face plate up and turned to her. "I have pictures." He beamed.

She smiled, couldn't really help it, the smile turned into a laugh, which turned into giggling and she covered her eyes. Her giggles turned to tears. She wiped them away before they could fall.

"I had forgotten what it was like to have some care. Someone to miss you"

She turned back to the hulk and Steve and lent her head on his shoulder. The cool metal a sharp contrast to her overheated cheek.

"I'm sorry for what I said yesterday."

He chuckled and wrapped an arm around her. "You didn't say anything that wasn't true. I get wrapped up I my own head sometimes. I need someone to remind me of that.Come home. Take the job and tell me what an ass I am."

She smiled and looked up to him "One condition. I pay my student loans."

"Oh, Erm, okay." There was a weird gleam in his eyes. It took her a moment to place it, it was a weird combination of smug satisfaction and sheepishness

She narrowed her eyes at him "You already paid them, didn't you?"

"Last week"

Darcy inhaled slowly 

"In my defence, I didn't think you'd turn the job down."

"Tony" She whined a little. "They were mine. I racked up the debt, I wanted to pay it off."

"Just say thank you Tony and we'll leave it at that." 

"Thank you Tony" the sarcasm rolled over the words.

"Wow. Less than five minutes and I'm already getting sass from you." He smiled.

"You've missed it." She joked.

I really have." The joking gone. He put his arm around her.  
"Take the job, please" 

Hawkeye walked over to them before Darcy could answer.

"I leave town for a month and everyone's gone, Thor as come and gone, Jane's gone with him you've gone, guess you couldn't stand the tower without me in it, huh?

Darcy laughed and through her arms around Clint, he stiffened for a moment before patting her back. When she stepped back, Clint glanced over to where cap and hulk were talking.

"Tell me you have picture. He asked Tony. Who just nodded. "It's about time someone called Cap on his crap. You coming back, see if we can remove the flag from his ass."

She nodded, Clint smiled and then walked away speaking into his comms reporting the "sit was 5 by 5."

Darcy looked at Tony and laughed. The Hulk looked over at them hearing her laugh. They both walked over to him.

"Hey big guy."

"Darcy come home?" He boomed.

"yes. I'm coming home."

Steve made a strangled noise.

"What?" Darcy said at the same time Hulk growled.

"It's dangerous. You're a civilian." He looked at everyone and getting another growl from the Hulk. "I'm not trying to be a jerk, I promise. I'm expressing concern. I don't want to see you get hurt or targeted because you're with us."

She sighed he was right.

"So she'll train." Clint said appearing suddenly and making them all jump. How did he do that?

"I'll see to it personally. We'll give her a panic button, we'll make her as safe as possible."

He looked to hulk and Ironman and then to Steve.

"She doesn't leave the tower without an escort." Steve said to Hawkeye.

"She is standing right here. Thank you very much." Darcy said with venom. Both men turned to look at her.

"Sorry Darcy. I was planning to start training you when I got back anyway." Hawkeye said.

She looked between the two of them.

"Fine." She turned to hawkeye. "No guns!

Steve strated to protest. But Darcy shut him down "don't push your luck."

"No guns" Clint nodded 

Darcy sighed. "You got yourself a deal."

He nodded.

"Ok, let's go play." Tony said flipping the face plate down. "I have a playground designed just for the hulk."

The hulk looked excited "Darcy play?" He asked with enthusiasm.

"Not today big guy, I have to go back to work. But I'll be there tomorrow."  
The Hulk looked a little sad. But Darcy just nudged him, "Go, play."


	7. Chapter 7

Tony tried to cook her dinner the first day back but after he had burned the pasta. (that's right, Tony 'genius' Stark burnt pasta!) She ordered take away and they both laughed.

As the week proceeded Tony spent more and more time getting to know her.

It started of slowly with what's you favorite band. Which had them debate English rock bands vs American rock bands.

Favorite colour. For her, blue, for him, red.

Cat or dog, both of them, dog.

Favorite food;- baked potato. He had argued they where boring till she challenged him to find a filling it didn't go with.

Then it was about her college course the one at MIT. 

"Why didn't you tell me you won my scholarship?"

"I donno, I was like wow I'm meeting Tony stark. And then we became friends and it felt weird that I won your scholarship and dropped out. Besides I'm hardly going to admit I dropped out of hard sciences and took up a soft science in present company." 

It was the next day when Tony probed further.

"And what about your gran, why didn't you say she knew my dad?"

Darcy felt something prickle at the back of her neck. She began to fiddle with a screwdriver in his worktop.

"To you she's 'Agent Peggy Carter' to me, she's my Gran. Not some gun toting S.H.I.E.L.D. agent but the women who raised when my parents died.

"I guess in my head I never really made the connection. Plus you always flinch whenever Steve brings him up."

The next day he dug deeper.

"What about your granddad?"

Darcy's eyes narrowed. "Why are you asking about my family."

Tony looked a little sheepish before replying.

"Just want to get to know you that's all." The sheepishness replace with a smile.

"Then ask about me." She said as she got up to leave.

"Where you going?" He asked, something else he had started doing. Every time she had walked away from him he wanted to know where she was going.

Like yesterday evening

 

She had gone out to go shopping for food with Clint and when she got back Tony was sat in the living room, in the dark. When she walked in he turned the light on and started firing questions at her.

"Where were you?" He asked she jumped.

"Damn it Tony, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Where were you?"

"Out getting food." she said it slowly as though she were talking to a child. She would play this game.

"Which agent did you take?"

"Clint went with me" she narrowed her eyes.

He nodded "What did you get?"

"Food[!?]" She said it slowly and deliberately

"Did you walk?"

"Tony!"

"Sorry just worried, you didn't tell me you were going."

"Do I need to? Are you my keeper? Am I a prisoner here."

"What? No." He shook his head and gave a small nervous laugh "I'm sorry, I just, next time just tell Javis, he'll get you want ever you need, day or night." He walked away leaving a very puzzled Darcy.

 

She was getting a little annoyed with the constant 'need to know'.

"I have training with Clint, remember? And what is going on with you? You're acting like, well, like a parent would.

He shrugged, gave a vague, "just wondering" answer.

She had let it go.

The next morning she could barely move, her body ached in places she didn't think was possible to ache, but part of Clints training was to get her physically fit in case she needed to run away. He had set out a diet plan as well as a fitness regime. The diet wasn't so much lose weight but a eat healthy, with fresh food and plenty of fruit and veg.  
Saying 'you can't train the body if you don't have the right equipment, both inside and out.'

But now her legs felt like they were on fire and her arms felt like lead. She had cooled down with Clint but it didn't seem to make any difference.

It took her a little longer to get ready, she dragged herself to the shower, the heat helped but once she was dressed and her body had cooled down again the ache was back, granted not as bad but still.

She took the elevator, not the stairs, that morning to Tony's workshop. Her slow steps caught his attention and he looked worried. She tried to explain it was her own fault for being so unfit but Tony went off about Clint being too hard and pushing her. He was getting in to full blown rant and pacing. When darcy was done.

 

"Alright enough." Darcy yelled above Tony's outrage. "tell me what is going on"

Tony stopped pacing stopped ranting.

"I don't know what you mean." His expression was wide eyed innocence. He backed away from her.

"Stop." Her voice was level and calm.

He stopped.

"Sit" she gestured to the stool next to her.

He sat down, suddenly looking anywhere but at her.

"Spill."

And he did.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm writing this on my phone And I can't use italics so ( ) sre steves thoughts

Steve was in the kitchen when he heard the yelling. Darcy's normally mellow tone was high and tight. She was either very angry or very upset.

"Who the hell do you think you are. She was my gran. You don't get to go around throwing accusation like that."

(So angry it was then)

"I did the tests. Darcy we are related."

(No! No way! No? Huh? That would explain...)

"No we're not. She wouldn't. She loved Steve. She spent years searching for him."

(Peggy and ..... Howard? Fondue?) Steve had made peace with Peggy moving on with her life but with Howard?

"Only to stop suddenly when she fell pregnant. So who was your grandfather." Tony's voice sounded tight.

"I don't know but I was not Howard Stark."

(similar senses of humor?)

"You can deny it all you want but I have it here in black and white. We are related."

(Simliar colouring?)

Steve heard the russeling of papers, the sound of skin slapping skin, and another flurry of paper.

(Same temper?)

Steve assumed Tony had waved the results in Darcy's face and she had slapped then out of his hand.

"I don't care, I don't believe it. Test can be falsified. Steve heard the falter in her voice."

(Same stubbon streak)

"Darcy." Tony's voice was soft.

"No. No. She would have told me. She could have told me at anytime and she left me alone. Let me think I had no one. She wouldn't do that. She wouldn't. We, we she was all I had. It was always me and her. And she died."

Steve heard a soft sob escape.

Darcy continued "Why would she leave me completely alone in the world if I had family."

"Darcy."

Tony sounded genuine concerned.

"Do you realise what you're implying? That not only was Steve betrayed by two of his best friends but Howard knocked up my gran and left her to deal with it alone. A single mum in the 50's. In the 50's, Tony! Not even you dad was that much of a bastard."  
Steve could almost feel Tony flinching.

(She seemed to know what buittons to press)

"Is the idea of being related to me so bad?" 

Tony sounded hurt?

Darcy completely ignored the question.

"How long have you suspected, whatever?

Steve heard Tony sigh.

"Darcy."

"How. Long?" It sounded like darcy was grounding her teeth.

In Steves mind he can see Darcy in army uniform welding a gun and testing out the strength of his shield. Her tone was just like Peggy, it almost hurt.

"Pepper told me the day I realised you were gone. I did the test myself, using your bloodwork from shield."

There was silence for a moment then,

"Is that why you wanted me back? So shield didn't get there hands on me?" Darcy sounded small, all the anger gone leaving sadness in it wake.

"No!" Tony sounded insulted. "I missed you." He snapped at her. "I looked up one day to find you were gone and I panicked I asked Javis to track you down but you were gone. It was only after Javis couldn't find you I called pepper. Darcy I get it," Tony's voice was calm and gentle. "I do. But we are related. You are my niece. And I am your uncle. Can't you see it? We so similar."

"No" darcy whispered.

"I get what this implies. I've gone over and over. I checked and double checked, hoping it would be wrong and happy when it wasn't."

"Your happy about this?" Darcy in disbelief

"It feels right to me. Even before I knew it doesn't feel right without you."

There was quiet for a moment and then.

"I need to think." 

"Darcy, please talk to me." Tony pleaded.

"I can't. I need to think. This changes everything."

And Steve heard Darcy leave.

Steve heard the clink of glass on wood, chink of ice on glass and the glug of liquid being poured.

Steve who had been holding himself still for the entire conversation walked into the living room. Tony looked up his expression went from hopeful to disappointed to resigned as Tony registered it wasn't Darcy, and the Steve had heard evrything.


	9. Chapter 9

Steve doesn't know why he woke but he can tell its something. He assesses everything around him in a matter of seconds and then he hears it.

Music.

Its coming from the living area, he can hear it better now that's he's concentrating on it. It's the piano. He's seen Tony play a few times. He's all jazz with frills. This is ... Not. It's delicate, feminine. It's full of pain and sadness. Before he's even thought about it he up and dressed and hidden behind the door frame just listening.

He listens, listens, takes a quick peek and its Darcy. Just one more thing she has in common with Tony.

He just listens.

After a while, the music falters and stops abruptly the discord still ringing in the air. Steve takes another peek and this time Darcy has her hands over her face. A tight feeling wells up in his chest.

His feet move of their own accord and he's sat next to her drawing her into a hug. She stiffens a little before relaxing. Its once she's relaxed he notices how cold she is. Her hands are like ice, he can feel them from where she's holding on to him.

"C'mon." He says gently and he leads her to the couch grabbing the blanket. He wraps it around them both and draws her closer til they are lying down. 

Darcy feels surrounded, Steve's glorious heat is seeping into her. They are lying close before she even questions it. When she tries, he just pulls her closer.  
"This is me providing a shoulder to lean on for the night Darcy. Go to sleep, deal with it in the morning."

"Thank you." she whispers a stray tear leaks from the corner of her eye and he wipes it away before it has a chance to fall down her cheek.

She closes her eyes and tries to let go. But this is Steve and she feels that she's betraying him just be being here.

He chuckles a little. "I can hear you thinking."

"M sorry."

"You're not her, or so you keep reminding me. You didn't do anything wrong. And when you think about it neither did she."

Steve saw Darcy's eyes close.

"I know, but Howard Stark? Of all people.." her eyes opened again this time slightly more glazed over. She was fighting sleep.

"S'not fair." She mumbled.

"Shh. Sleep." Steve cooed. 

Her arms move to his waist as she burrowed into his chest and the crook of his neck. He felt her blink a few times her lashes brushing butterfly kisses on his neck.

"G'night." she mumbled softly.


	10. Chapter 10

A few hours later Tony tried to enter the living room only to find the doors closed and locked.

"Jarvis why is the door locked?"

"Sir, Miss Lewis had trouble sleeping last night and Capt. Rogers helped. They are currently asleep on the couch."

Tony stuttered for a moment. he felt the dread rise up.

"Jarvis. Please tell me no clothes were removed."

"Both party remained clothed. I believe Capt Rogers provided a shoulder for Miss Lewis to lean on." There was a slight humor in Jarvis' voice that Tony total didn't appreciate 

Tony nodded he headed down to he workshop, it was his place to go when the world didn't make sense he would build something. and now with family, his own flesh and blood to protect sudden;y he felt under prepared for the responsibly. he wanted... wanted... he wasn't sure but the gnawing feeling inside hadn't lessened with her living in the tower. suddenly all the dangers he faced, brought on himself seemed real and upfront for him. he was buried himself in making a new tazor, her weapon of choice.

it was a few hours later when his glass door opened and her quiet footsteps approached. she sat on one of his stools and waited while he carried on tinkering. After a moment he reached for a small screwdriver only to find it in her hand.

"I have a habit of thinking the worse about you and being completely wrong." she said. tony waited knowing she would have more to say. "I found a letter. from my gran." she looked down at the paper in her hand, turning it over and over.

"She choose to do it alone. She choose not to tell him." She gave a small sniff. "She let me believe I was alone. I can only hope she meant to tell me but got too sick." She kept turning the paper over and over in her hands her head down a lonely saw a tear dropped onto the paper, without thinking Darcy was in his arms and he held on as she cried.

It took a while but when Darcy's tears dried up the talking began. Darcy sat while Tony tinkered. she passed him tools while they talked. they laughed and talked, Tony listened as Darcy told him about her life alone. 

"Don't expect me to call you Uncle Tony." Darcy called as she left for the evening.  
he could hear her laughing to herself as she walked away. tony felt the corner of his mouth tug as a rye smile crossed his face. he watched the empty space where she had sat and felt... pleased? happy? he wasn't too sure. he wiped his hand over his face and got back to finishing the taser.


End file.
